To Keep The Peace
by sargegreat
Summary: in the first part to the epic series, thresh overhill, a peacekeeper from district 11, finds himself engulfed in the war against the capitol.
1. Chapter 1

To Keep the Peace

by sargegreat

 **CHAPTER 1**

it was a lovely day. flowers were in full bloom, and the animals sang. it was summer, and in district 11, that was very well illustrated. the workers lined the grain field, ready for picking. although in most days work in the field was sad and unhappy, today it was all flowers and happiness. well, except in the peacekeeper's barracks. The new head peacekeeper was rumbling on about how a few people had decided to revolt, and the peacekeepers could not handle them. next to him was a man in the clothes of the capitol, who, in the normal tainted capitol accent spoke,

"no, the capitol will not send reinforcements. we have troubles elsewhere!"

"This IS elsewhere! If you don't supply reinforcements now, district 11 will fall into the hands of the Mockingjay!"

Thresh Overhill, one of the elite peacekeepers of district 11, was watching this scene without moving. he was on guard duty, and soldiers on guard duty were not expected to move unless they were told. he listened to the conversation intently, and found out what the argument was. he had seen, over the past 2 weeks, the rebellions of the field workers. they had captured key strategic points, but had been stopped when thousands of peacekeepers arrived through the trains. He was one of those. He had arrived from the capitol by train on urgent duty.

"Sir, we have a new crate of TAR-21s from district 2 at the train station." said a peacekeeper who just entered the room. The head peacekeeper got up and left the room, followed by the capitol representative. Thresh followed, but positioned himself right outside the justice building.

From there, he clearly heard the huge explosion that shook him to his bones.

 **CHAPTER 2**

Immediately the reaction of him and his fellow peacekeepers was to run to the trucks and drive towards the sound. Inside the truck, they regained their calm. everything was probably under control. but as they arrived, they noticed just the opposite. People were screaming, pushing and fighting. The Peacekeepers that were already there were having a hard time resisting them, as some had picked up guns and other weapons. Other than his squadron, three armored trucks came from the east wing. He got out, took his shield and gun, and started pushing towards the crowd. every once in a while, he would wedge his gun in between his shield and the one of a Peacekeeper next to him, and fire. A man would drop dead. another would take his place. it all seemed endless, the fighting, the screaming, the shooting. But like all Peacekeepers, he kept his cool. For at least 5 hours, The fighting continued. More capitol troops arrived, the rebels were pushed back, until they finally scattered into the trees. Everyone followed them, and The bloodbath continued through the night, killing hundreds and severely injuring Hundreds more.  
It seemed as if the fighting would never end. The noise was unbearable. Explosions shook the ground. and then the order came.

"Retreat! Peacekeepers, Retreat!"

A wave of white turned around and walked calmly out of the woods. What must have been two dozen Peacekeepers guarder the rear, including thresh. he did not understand why they were retreating. Then it hit him. As the initially surprised rebels shot out of the woods, screaming and running with all their might, hovercrafts, who had only been cover fire, rained bombs on them. in the open plain between the rebels and the capitol forces, all the rebels who had been recently running and fighting against the Peacekeepers disintegrated. There were a few smart ones who had decided not to run in the first place, who hid camouflaged in the woods. The battle was over, but the war had just begun.

In the next few weeks the district was kept in absolute curfew. No one got in or out. People were whipped, and shot. Capitol reinforcements were continuous. The life of the district citizens was made miserable. Then one day Thresh received the order of his movement. District 12. Head peacekeeper Thread was given orders to take complete control of district 12, burn all contraband, and punish all illegal citizens. He and his squadron were to head towards district 12 by armored truck two weeks from that day. He made the most of the remainder of time he was staying in district 11 by studying his passion, Transportation. He studied the trucks, hovercrafts, and all of the transportation he could get his hands on. But he Eventually had to go. He got in the truck as it drove away, Reviewing the plan with the rest of the Peacekeepers. They traveled for a few hours into District 12. The first thing that struck him was how poor everything looked. People starving, dying, and crying. Three trucks took a left into the town square, while the others kept going into the district. Thresh was with the unit assigned to the hob. They rounded into a big makeshift building and got out. There were 3 dozen peacekeepers, and all of them worked together to round out the residents while a few others burned the place down. It all happened so stunningly fast that in no time Thresh was back to clearing out houses and destroying contraband. People were screaming, terrified, and holding on to their family for dear life. Although Thresh didn't like this, he told himself it was the only way to keep order. Then something amazing happened. A young man, no older than 18 for sure, ran towards Head Peacekeeper Thread at full speed when he was about to hurt a citizen. He knocked him over, and when he got up, he was immediately Removed and shackled by two peacekeepers. Thread got up, a little bruised, and said:

"In the square."

The next thing that happened did not boost Thread's pride to be a peacekeeper. The young man was brought into the square, publicly, and whipped. Not just whipped once or twice, But 36 times. Thresh, on the outskirts of this scene, counted every grunt of the poor man, every drop of blood, and every mark on his back.


	2. Chapter 2

The man was continuously whipped without mercy or resentment by Thread. After a couple dozen lashes, a girl ran into the square right in front of the head peacekeeper

"No! No! Stop!"

He hit her with the butt of his whip as she fell down. he came down again for another strike at the girl, hitting her on the back. The bleeding man, attached to the post, whispered,

"its ok, katniss, just go."

She took one look at his back, and as commander Thread walked in a circle, looking at each and every one of the peacekeepers guarding the square with fiery eyes, she got up, and walked in front of the man groaning in agony.

"Move." she stands firm."You want another?" he says, raising his whip.

"go ahead." she answers.

Tread takes his gun out, pointing it at her face. Once again, a man rushes forward, pointing both his arms at Him.

" Whoa, whoa whoa."

"Get outta my way!"

"No, you Don't wanna shoot her."

"how about i shoot bot of you?"

"look, commander. you're new here. Trust me, I'm trying to help you. I'm Haymitch. You recognize her? Katniss Everdeen, Darling of the capitol."

"she interfered with a peacekeeper." said the commander, lowering his gun.

" I never said she was smart." says Haymitch, laughing. Thread stands there, unconvinced. "look, you already got a couple of lashes in, right?"

"that's not enough! She's an agitator!"

another man, much younger, rushes into the scene. immediately, as if by reflex, the Commander raises his gun at him.

"easy, easy." says the third man.

"look, you sure Snow wants three dead victors here?" Replies Haymitch, frustrated." 'cause that's what we're looking at. Its bad enough that you marked up her face on the eve of the big wedding. Let it go, and we will, too."

That seems to work, as Thread lowers his gun and says:

"all right. Okay. But next time, it's the firing squad."

"Excellent idea." replies Haymitch.

"i don't care who she is."

They linger there, each of them staring into each other's eyes with hate. The next thing that comes out of Thread's mouth makes Haymitch start.

"Clear the square! You're all under curfew! Anyone out after dark will be shot on sight!"

at this order, Thresh willfully backs turns around to hurry the people watching back to their homes. the last thing he sees on that square is the 4 victors carrying the unconscious man across the square and towards victors village.


End file.
